Ag United for South Dakota hosts multiple events for National Ag Week

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — American agriculture provides the necessities of everyday life: food, fiber, clothing, and now fuel. That’s the message that farmers will share with South Dakota youth March 6 through 27 to celebrate National Ag Week, which is March 23 through 29.

Local farmers gave back on Thursday, March 6. Nearly 40 people volunteered for “Farmers Serving Famlies.” These volunteers served a hot meal at The Banquet in Sioux Falls. More than 100,000 people in South Dakota are food insecure, with more than half of those people being children or the elderly.

From March 13 through 27, local farmers will visit 10 elementary schools to help students understand where their food comes from. An area dairy farmer and hog farmer will educate students on how they care for their livestock and help them understand how South Dakota’s number-one industry affects nutrition and food supply, as well as agriculture’s economic, social, and environmental significance to all Americans.

Ag United will do more than talk; they’re providing a pizza party too. During the school visits, producers will help the students understand that the ingredients in the pizza are produced by farms, and also explain how those products are then processed and made into the pizzas that the students are enjoying. Through these visits, farmers will teach more than 550 students about today’s agriculture.

“The impact on South Dakota’s economy alone from agriculture is over $20 billion,” said Steve Rommereim, Ag United President and Alcester farmer. “On a national scale, agriculture is America’s number one export. But it’s still easy to take agriculture for granted. We want to instill an appreciation for agriculture in our local youth, advance an awareness of South Dakota’s contribution, and promote agricultural literacy.”

Ag United, along with its coalition members, Associated Milk Producers, Land O’Lakes, and Valley Queen Cheese and the South Dakota soybean farmers and their checkoff dollars will sponsor Ag Day pizza party events for fourth and fifth graders at Brandon Elementary Fred Assam Elementary and Valley Springs Elementary in Brandon, LB Williams Elementary in Mitchell, Explorer Elementary and Endeavor Elementary in Harrisburg, Hayward Elementary in Sioux Falls, Koch Elementary in Milbank, Jefferson Elementary in Watertown, and Webster Elementary in Yankton.

“National Ag Week provides a great opportunity for South Dakota agricultural producers to share the story of where food comes from,” added Rommereim. “And for many of these students this is their first opportunity to learn about agriculture from actual producers.”

An informational booth on Ag United and Ag Day will be on display at the Washington Pavilion Saturday, March 22, 2014.

Each year, the National Ag Day program helps educate millions of consumers. The Agriculture Council of America, organizers of National Ag Day, believes that every American should understand how food, fiber and renewable resources are produced, and value the essential role agriculture plays in providing safe, abundant and affordable products. National Ag Day focuses on educating Americans about the industry, so they can also consider career opportunities in food, fiber, and the renewable resource industry.

Ag United for South Dakota is a coalition of farm organizations with a goal of keeping family farms growing. Coalition members include the South Dakota Cattleman’s Association, the South Dakota Corn Growers Association, the South Dakota Dairy Producers, South Dakota Farm Bureau, South Dakota Pork Producers Council, South Dakota Poultry Industries Association and the South Dakota Soybean Association. To learn more, visit www.agunited.org.

To learn more about National Ag Day, visit www.agday.org.